FIVE charities from across the regions of Fife, East Lothian and the Scottish Borders have received funding towards crucial projects from independent Scottish broadband provider, GoFibre and its GoFurther Fund.
Selected from over 60 worthy applicants, the five organisations offer fundamental support and transformative services to those they serve. Amongst the recipients are organisations that provide education and employability services for young people and the disabled community, social sessions that help tackle loneliness and isolation and after school support and activities for children who come from deprived households.
The full list of funding recipients:
Heids & Hearts (Fife) – £2,600
Tartan Talkers (Fife) – £3,000
Bridges Project (East Lothian) – £3,000
Into Work (East Lothian) – £3,000
Escape Youth Services (Borders) – £3,000
The GoFurther Fund was unveiled earlier this year in celebration of GoFibre’s full fibre broadband network being accessible to 50,000 premises across Scotland’s towns and villages. As part of its ongoing commitment to tackle the digital divide across the country, the GoFurther Fund is enabling GoFibre to support vital projects and groups in their efforts to transform local lives in East Lothian, Fife and the Scottish Borders, areas where GoFibre continues to build its network.
As the first successful cohort of funding recipients, these organisations and projects are prime examples of the difference the Fund will make in the communities of Fife, East Lothian, and the Scottish Borders.
Escape Youth Services was founded in 2005 and serves as a safe haven for children aged 11 and older, offering a vital after-school facility. Sian Snowdon, Service Manager at Escape Youth Services said: “This support for our open access youth provision is greatly welcomed at a time when funding has become increasingly competitive whilst the demand for our service continues to increase. We are so thankful that they have seen the value in our work with local young people and for assisting us to continue to provide our drop-in session on Friday evenings over the next year.”
The East Lothian-based Bridges Project is a youth work charity providing support programmes for children who are carers, from a deprived background or who are experiencing mental health issues. Simen Holm, Fundraising and Communications Manager at Bridges Project, said: “We are proud to say that GoFibre’s GoFurther Fund will play an important role in enabling us to continue to work with young people across East Lothian, helping those most in need in our local communities.
“The EES is unique in its approach of supporting young people to realise their potential so a huge thank you to GoFibre for allowing us to build on our successes to date. We know that our work makes such a difference to young people, and we are committed to ensuring this continues, enhancing our local communities.”
Each organisation has been chosen based on relevant criteria which included supporting the creation of work experience opportunities, developing skills and the local economy, promoting good health and wellbeing or actively tackling climate change and contributing to net zero targets in their local areas.
Neil Conaghan, Chief Executive Officer at GoFibre, said: “These five organisations are already making a difference across their communities, and their incredible efforts reinforce the idea that this kind of grassroots support can genuinely create a better future for the next generation. That’s why it is important for us to recognise and boost the incredible work of charities and organisations across Scotland.
“There has been a clear response from local communities that there is a continued need for the work of organisations like Heids & Hearts, Tartan Talkers, Bridges Project, Into Work, and Escape Youth Services and we are incredibly proud to be able to support them in their mission to continue transforming local lives.”
GoFibre continues to expand its footprint across Scotland as it provides even more homes and businesses with access to its transformative full fibre broadband. Once the next phase of expansion is complete in early 2024, GoFibre’s network will reach almost 120,000 premises.
Once connected to full fibre, residents and businesses have access to up to 10Gbps speeds, which significantly enhances their ability to work effectively from home, improves business productivity, and ensures households can use as many gadgets as they want to their hearts’ content.
The GoFurther Fund will be open again for applications in early 2024. More information on the GoFurther Fund is available at gofibre.co.uk/gofurtherfund.
